Easy Mini Chicken Cutlets
These mini chicken cutlets make a kid-friendly, delicious meal that can be made ahead of time and stored for later. Coated in egg and flour, then shallow fried to golden-brown perfection, these chicken cutlets are tender, juicy, and perfect for little hands of picky eaters. You can make a large batch and freeze them for a quick meal on busy days or future lunch box.
Related: Chicken & Mushroom Crepe Rolls – Kid & Baby Friendly
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts (sliced): The main protein of the dish, providing the base for the cutlets. Cut the chicken breast thin enough that the chicken cooks quickly, but thick enough that there is still some juicy meat and a good amount of chicken in the bite.
- Chicken grilling seasoning: Adds a savory flavor to the chicken, enhancing its taste. Feel free to experiment with different seasonings or spices according to your taste. Garlic powder, onion powder, or Italian herbs can add different flavor profiles.
Related: Soft Chicken Meatballs For Babies, Toddlers, Kids (BLW)
Dredging Ingredients
- Flour: Helps create a crispy coating on the chicken when fried. Or use gluten free grain flour if necessary.
- Eggs: Acts as a binder, helping the flour stick to the chicken and creating a rich golden coating.
- Mayo: Adds moisture and a slight tang, contributing to the flavor and texture of the coating.
- Yellow mustard: Adds a tangy flavor that complements the chicken.
- Ketchup: Adds a hint of acidic sweetness and depth to the coating mixture. But you can omit it if you want.
Related: Salmon Cutlets
Instructions: How To Make Mini Chicken Cutlets
Prepare the Chicken: Cut the chicken breast into even wide strips, approximately 5-6 pieces, each 1 to 1.2 inches thick (2 to 3 cm). This ensures quick cooking while maintaining juicy meat in each bite.
Season the Chicken: Add the dry seasonings to the chicken strips and mix to coat evenly. Set aside.
Prepare the Dredging Stations
Pour the flour into a shallow bowl or plate. In another medium, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, a pinch of salt, mayo, yellow mustard, and ketchup until well combined.
Preheat the Pan: Heat a pan over medium temperature with a little heat-resistant oil (such as avocado oil) or ghee.
Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the chicken. If the oil is not hot enough, the coating will absorb too much oil and become soggy. A good test is to drop a small piece of bread into the oil; it should sizzle and turn golden brown within a minute.
Dredge the Chicken
Take each piece of chicken and thoroughly coat it in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then, dip the chicken into the egg mixture, letting any extra drip off before placing it directly into the hot pan. Fry a few cutlets at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
Cook the Chicken
Cook each side for approximately 3 minutes, or until the sides turn golden brown. If the cutlets are thick, ensure the sides are cooked through. Cut into the middle of a cutlet to check for doneness. If still raw, cover with a lid for 2 minutes and continue cooking.
Repeat the Process: Flip and repeat for each cutlet until done. Add more oil as needed for each round.
Enjoy these golden-brown, juicy chicken cutlets as a perfect finger food for kids or a quick main course for the whole family!
Serving Suggestions
Serve these chicken cutlets with a dipping sauce that kids love, such as honey mustard, ketchup, or ranch dressing. They also pair well with a side of vegetables, cooked rice or buckwheat or a fresh salad for a complete meal. A perfect healthy lunchbox idea for your kids.
Freezing Tips
When freezing the cutlets, you can place parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together. This makes it easier to take out only what you need.
Reheating
To reheat frozen cutlets, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. This helps maintain their crispiness compared to microwaving.
More Kid Friendly Meals
Have you tried this chicken cutlet recipe? Your feedback is really helpful, please rate and leave a comment below recipe card!
Mini Chicken Cutlets
Ingredients
- 2 medium chicken breasts (sliced)
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp chicken grilling seasoning
- 2/3 tsp smoked paprika
Dredging ingredients
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp mayo
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1.5 tsp ketchup
- 1/3 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast thin enough that the chicken cooks quickly, but thick enough that there is still some juicy meat and a good amount of chicken in the bite. So cut into even wide strips, approx. 5-6 (across the grain) 1 to 1.2 inch thick (2 to 3 cm).
- Add the dry seasonings and mix to coat evenly. Set aside.
- Pour the flour into another shallow bowl or plate.
- In another medium, shallow bowl, whisk together 2 eggs with a pinch of salt, mayo, yellow mustard and a touch of ketchup (optional) and mix until combined
- Pre-heat a pan (medium temperature) with a little bit of heat-resistant oil (like avocado oil) or ghee. Make sure it's really hot to avoid sticking to the pan.
- Coat 1 piece of chicken at a time in flour (fully covered) let excess drop off. Next dredge in egg mixture and let excess drop off and place straight into the pre-heated pan, a few chicken cutlets at a time so the pan doesn't get over-crowded.
- Cook on each side for approximately 3 minutes, or until the sides begin to turn golden brown. If the chicken cutlets are pretty thick make sure the sides are cooked too.Cut in the middle and check if it's done, if it's still raw, cover with a lid for 2 minutes.Flip and repeat for each cutlet until done. Add more grease for each round.
Nutrition
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As an adult I loved these mini chicken cutlets too!